as in mainly
for the most part
our video collection consists chiefly of comedies, but we have a few horror movies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chiefly
Those recommendations are rooted in research that often gets funded if not conducted by, then synthesized by, good people in the federal government, chiefly the CDC.
—
New York Daily News, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2025
Coal production and employment in West Virginia and elsewhere around the country continued a long-term decline, chiefly due to competition from other cheaper fuel sources such as natural gas and renewable energy.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025
Those recommendations are rooted in research that often gets funded if not conducted by, then synthesized by, good people in the federal government, chiefly the CDC.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025
Shorter wavelengths, such as blue and violet, scatter away, while longer wavelengths —chiefly red and orange — more easily pass through and illuminate the lunar surface.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
New York Daily News, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2025
Coal production and employment in West Virginia and elsewhere around the country continued a long-term decline, chiefly due to competition from other cheaper fuel sources such as natural gas and renewable energy.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025
Those recommendations are rooted in research that often gets funded if not conducted by, then synthesized by, good people in the federal government, chiefly the CDC.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025
Shorter wavelengths, such as blue and violet, scatter away, while longer wavelengths —chiefly red and orange — more easily pass through and illuminate the lunar surface.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chiefly
Adverb
-
Organized, potent thunderstorms are forecast to ramp up starting Thursday, April 17, with subsequent rounds of severe weather right through Easter on Sunday, April 20, mainly focused on the central United States, AccuWeather said.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
-
More aggressive immigration enforcement actions took place last month, mainly at Ivy League and elite campuses in the Northeast, including Columbia University, where foreign students who supported pro-Palestinian protests were arrested for deportation.—
Jaweed Kaleem,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Preparedness seems impossible: Helene killed more than 200 people, mostly in counties previously thought to have less hurricane risk.—
Barbara Kingsolver,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2025
-
The study argued, however, that because the data centers would mostly not have been established without the incentive, their overall economic impact was significantly positive.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
25 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
There’s the inevitable factor of the character being 100 percent secondary to Ray (this is primarily Brian Tyree Henry’s joint, after all, welcome recurring buddy-movie dynamic of Henry and Wagner Moura notwithstanding).—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The 22-year-old is also popular on social media, primarily on TikTok and Instagram.—
Sara Vallone,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Its double-digit yield is largely the product of a slumping stock, with shares off by more than 70% over the past few years amid slumping top and bottom lines.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
-
More Southern Grandma Makeup Tips 7 Old-School Beauty Trends That Are Coming Back This Year Choose a Semi-Matte Lipstick While lip gloss has largely remained the favorite tube of the past two decades, a more natural-finish lipstick offers a dose of longer-lasting color and an inherent elegance.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Asian nations also paid tribute, especially in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, where church bells tolled on Monday across the capital of Manila.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2025
-
These architects’ developed an initial three-pronged strategy: to retain the essence of the property’s characteristics, to co-generate design ideas with family members and to build new structures predominantly with materials already on site.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chiefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chiefly. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share